Mechanical figure wheeled toy



Oct. 20, 1931. s. I. BERGER MECHANICAL FIGURE WHEELED TOY Filed Feb. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Oct. 20, 1931. s. I. BERGER 1,827,774

MECHANICAL FIGURE WHEELED TOY Filed Feb. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 65 a; as

aliza/elffieiyer ATTORNEYS UNITE STA Patented Oct. 20, 1931- res SAMUEL 1. anana, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY PATENT oFFrca i T -MECHANICAL FIGURE wnnnmn TOY V Application filed February 24, 1927. Serial No. 170,452.

I; flhe present invention is. concerned w improvements in spring motor driven toys of the class in which'the impelling motor serves in a'dual capacity to impart movement to a carriage and to actuate one or more toy fig ures borne by the carriage. 1 v 7 More specifically, the toy is preferably in the nature of a vehicle driven alternately forwardly and rearwardly and p in directions more or lesschance determined by one or more freely turning steering wheels. Preferably, themovements of the toyfigure are synchroni'zed with the movements of the vehicle and so correlated therewith as to produce a grotesque figure action which seems to'be rather naturally caused by or associated with the somewhat jerky backward, and forward mo-" tion of the vehicle.

V Objects'of the invention are to provide improved mechanism for causing and controlling the movements ofthe'vehicle and figure, improved means forpmounting the figure,

" novel features) of figure construction and to the requirements ture.

unique connections between the motor and the parts which it drives. a v

More general objects are to provide a toy which Wlll be grotesque and intriguing both in appearance and operation, and a toy of simple, practical construction which will be rugged and durable in useand yet well suited of economical manufacaccompanying draww Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the embodiment of Figure 4. v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of the ladder device, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of the ladder mounting clip.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a toy automobile includes a platform portion 10 upon which may be mounted a hood portion 11, windshield portion 12, mudguards 13 and steps 14. All of these parts are preferably stamped from tin and connected together in a manner well known in the art by the usual bendable tongues 15 on certain parts working through associated slots in adjacent parts.

The representation of a steering post 16 and steering wheel 17 are preferably employed, the post passing through the lower or dashboard forming section 12 of the windshield section 12 and through the platform 10. The sides of the windshield section are turned rearwardly to define uprights 12*.

A conventional mounting may be used for the freely turning front traction wheels 18. The front wheel axle 18 may rotate in aligned cars 19 integral with a yoke like bracket 20 including aligned apertured horizontal arms 21 which rotate freely on a vertically disposed headed rod 22 passed through openings in the hood 11 and platform 10. The platform is formed with a rounded depression 23 encircling the rod opening and contacting with the upper arm 21 to minimize friction between the bracket 20 andthe platform 10.

Secured under the rear of the platform 10 is a, motor frame including a horizontal plate 24 and upwardly extending end pieces 25, 26 carrying tongues 27 which extend through the platform 10 and are bent over into engagement therewith. The rear traction wheels28 are fixed to an axle 29 turning in cars struck downwardly from the plate 24. The axle is turned alternately in oppo-r a driving shaft 34 in vertically aligned openings in the platform 10 and plate 24 and retained against" axial movement by outstruck .tits or burrs 35. ..A;.clri-ven countershaft 36 also turning in theplatform and plate, carries a pinion 37 driven by a gear 38 I on shaft 34; Shaft 36 carries thesegmental gear 31.

- 7 The upper end of shaft 36 projects well above the platform 10" passing through" hollow figure body 3 9. and bearing themovable head 40 of the figure. p

- ,Preferably'; a .2 curved, metallic i pl ate 3 '41 secured upon the rear end :ot'thesplatform .10 ;-%simulates :the: sides and back of: a -seat. The figure body 39 is arranged'within'theaconfines mof theiplatetl; This body.-mayberofrgeneral cylindrical form bent-:from 1 a" single sheet 1 of Emetalzand having the abutting sheet "edges .z-tongued as at 42 to .passxthroughiandengage "withfthe intermediate rearportion of-the plate4l. .Thebody is leglesseandzan inclined plate 43 nsimulat-ing a slap robe: is connected 1 at-itswloweriorwardedgeto'the .plattorm 10 .by tongues 44.3.andat-1its upper-.rearaedge'to 'thBwbOCly E39 by tongues =45. V -.Tl1e:-.upper end 'A single 1U shaped piece of metal has its nintermediate portion 46 extending :transverselyithrough'thebody 39 just below shoul- :-ders= 39 ,zbeing receivedinsslots .47 at opposite... sides f:the :body, {its arms 48 extending ifOI' x wardly' to simulate the arms of the figure the free ends or. hand portions or" "which :are en azgaged with thesteering wheel 17 in any suitable-manner;

Head 40 is fformed :of a ipa-ir of cooperat- "ein'g Ehollow. section-sihaving overlying; tongues j ithrough' the 1 top of. one I head :section wand :through the bottom of the opposite one whereby.-the"-two:-secti0ns 4 are connected each to the 1 "other. and? independently to. the shaft 36, i. as -.best'shown-inrFig.

I ltraisito bGLUITdBI'StOOCl thatall-otithe' vari ous parts of the toy may'ibeisuitablyiorna ":mented ltosimulate ;-.the various parts of the f nam'ahdfigure =which theyrepresent. The

I :ilmoperatiomdhevehicle:is propelledalternatelyeia'head andiastern bytheaction' ofz'the 1rsegmentaligearfilonthei rearaaxleipinoins 32.

:..ti-vely.

-ition."

The shaft :36 .proj ects The direction of movement in either a forward or reverse direction is chance determined by the freely swinging front steering wheel set, these wheels being influenced by all slight imperfections in the surface over which they run as well as by the olts incidental to each reversal of direction of movement of the toy. These reversals will be quite jerky and abrupt since each time gear 31 passes from engagement with one pinion 32 and into engagement with the other it will Between each reversal of the vehicle the head 40 will be swung through 180, the figure thus'appearing to be turning his head in order .to observe the ground over which he is steering. "Obviously the action is both rotesquerandiascin'ating to watch, due to the irregular movements of the toy and the .sHddentchanges in its-directionofrtravel.

.JI haveshown a hollow toy dog lzseoured onathe :step I '14 by: tongues 52,- passed therethrough andiatoy suitcasea53: apparently resting: on the: forward mudguard-13 ebutr-in reality held by its slot and tongue engagement at 5 4, '55 with step :14 :and upright .12 respec- 1n Eigures 4to 7 have illustrated a'moditicaion of: the invention, which is generally similar to thetoyrabove described; except for mi-nor. changes; innthevehiclex-des-ign and zthe -pro v-ision .ofa .difiierentztypeof movable-figeureand a novel.supporting .mechanisnithere- :ofithebody isicrimpediinwardly.to define a .-s'houlder portion: 39* within which the head rotates and which-concealsthe lower'iend.

for which tea-uses tit; .to have aneccentric mo- Here the vehicle16Ois .of.-substantially-the same construction described above, except that arse'at 61 .is arranged .well .torwardlyon I the platform -and. the-stationary representae .tion ota driveri62 is arrangedon the seat as-wellias a toy;do g.63. Thewheelsanddriw .ing 1 means are similar-to ,those -above describ.ed. The upper end ,ot a Idiven shaft 64 corresponding to" shaft-36:;p1'ojects for a short distance. aboveithe. platformbehind the E seatf61',and.carries.a. support designatedgenerallylbythe reference numeral 65.

This .support,preferablybentfrom a single .piecerof.metal includes aplate 66 disposed atan angle/co theaxis of shaft 64..and having aligned aperturedbrackets 67 projectinglaterally from its upper and lower edges and receiving the shaft. The side edges ofEthe plate are rolled over to definesubstantiallythree quarter cylindrical inclined socket po'rtions 68 removably receiving the lower ends of'the -upi'ights*'69 of a ladder including'rungs 70.

A hollow figure 71 on the ladder is formed of a'pair of similar'sections] oined together by overlapping tongues 72. Thefigure maybe 'held in: position ion-.the' ladder byjtongues 73, 73 integral with certain o ftherungs and "entering slots "in the "body and zteetz tion of the figure.

hee-opposedby-the=full momentum of the 'i-travelling-vehic le.

In operation the u per end of the ladder will swing in a circu ar path its movements being intermittent as the vehicle stops and starts. The movement is really a positive one since the support 65 is fixed to the shaft 64. In appearance, however, the ladder and the figure which it bears will ap ear to be swung about willy-nilly by the sudden stopping and starting of the car.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described a device in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which device is its action attains the various 1 objects of the invention and is well suited mounted on wheels, a curved plate supported on edge of the platform and simulating the sides and back of a drivers seat, a hollow generally cylindrical figure arranged within the plate and comprising a single curved sheet of metal having its edges arranged in juxta-position, and slot and tongue connections between said edges and the intermediate portion of the plate.

2. A toy automobile including a platform mounted on wheels, a curved plate supported on edge of the platform and simulating the sides and back of adrivers seat, a hollow generally cylindrical figure arranged within the plate and comprising a single curved sheet of metal'having its edges arranged in juxtaposition, and slot and tongue connections between said edges and the intermediate portion of the plate, the upper end of the body being crimped inwardly to define sloping shoulder portions, and a rotatable head, the lower end of which is concealed by the shoulders.

3. A toy automobile including a platform mounted on wheels, a curved plate supported on edge on the platform and simulating the sides and back of a drivers seat, a hollow generally cylindrical figure arranged within the plate and comprising a single curved sheet of metal having its edges arranged in juxtaposition, and slot and tongue connections between said edges and the intermediate portion of the plate, an inclined laprobe portion concealing the lower end of the legless body, said laprobe portion comprising an inclined sheet of metal connected at its lower forward edge to the latform and at its upper rear edge to the ody.

4. A toy automobile including a wheeled carriage, a mudguard and ste forming strip integral with the body, a das board portion secured to the body and including a rearwardly turned lateral flange, and a toy article apparently resting on the mudguard and having slot and tongue connections with the flange and step. I

Signed at Newark in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, this 23rd day of February A. D. 1927.

SAMUEL I. BERGER. 

